1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling an image forming apparatus which is connected to a server configured to provide services via a network, and uses a microblogging function provided by the server, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a cloud computing system has come into practical use as a system form which provides services using the Internet. The user can use a service provided by a cloud computing system, called a cloud service, if he prepares a minimum connection environment without preparing a hardware resource such as a server. An example of already implemented cloud services is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) service which provides the function of a CRM system for customer management and sales support. Another cloud service is a document management service which provides storage and management functions for saving and managing electronic files.
There is a service which provides a microblogging function as a communication tool. The microblogging function is a short blogging function which allows a user having an account for the service to release a short text of about 100 to 200 characters, called “tweet”, as “message” or “comment”. This user includes objects, applications, and the like on cloud services such as a printer and cooperative service, and is not limited to an existent user (human). A unique identifier is assigned to each “message” or “comment” released by a user. The microblogging function creates a “timeline” on which when a user registers “message”, a list of “comments” related to the registered “message” can be registered, displayed, and managed. The user who has registered the “message”, and other users exchange information by registering related information as “comments” on the “timeline”, and communicate with each other. Each user account has a function of managing the profile of a user, and reveals who is the communication partner. For example, information about the user's name, contact address (for example, mail address, telephone number, and address), and group to which he belongs is managed.
Some CRM services provided as cloud services provide even the microblogging function as a communication tool when performing business. These cloud services link customer information and business talk information with “messages” and “comments”, further improving user friendliness. At the same time, some CRM services provide a file sharing function of sharing a file between users, and saving, editing, updating, and referring to the file. An example is Salesforce.com, and the microblogging function provided is “Chatter”. The file sharing function corresponds to “Document” and “File”.
Image forming apparatuses are advancing in function and becoming multifunctional. Recently, image forming apparatuses equipped with not only basic functions of digitizing and printing a paper document, such as the scan function and print function, but also a network interface (to be simply referred to as a network I/F hereinafter) have been developed. The image forming apparatus equipped with the network I/F provides various solutions in cooperation with an external system and external service connected via a network. For example, the image forming apparatus equipped with the network I/F can transmit, to a cloud document management service, an electronic file generated by scanning a paper document, and save it. The image forming apparatus can also transmit an electronic file to a partner by mail attachment or the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-10922 proposes a technique for executing processing by a server based on an instruction from a client. More specifically, the client terminal transmits, to an FTP folder, a file describing an execution command. The server detects the transmission of the file from the client terminal, and executes a job by executing a command described in the file.
However, the conventional technique has the following problem. For example, assume that, in an environment where business is performed using the microblogging function provided by a cloud service, the user issues a processing instruction in a natural language to an image forming apparatus by using the microblogging function. In this case, it cannot be confirmed whether or not the result of analyzing the natural language by the image forming apparatus matches the processing instruction contents the user intends. Processing the user intends may not be executed, and for example, an output material from the image forming apparatus may go to waste.